USA Tour Companies 2016

A bridge blast from the past (1864)—the West Cornwell Covered Bridge, U.S. Route 7, Connecticut.

You’ve heard about guided motorcycle tours in Italy, Africa and the Swiss Alps. But there are also many domestic touring companies right here in the United States will show you the very best roads and sights that America has to offer.

Why go on a guided tour? So you can enjoy the open road and take in the best sights without having to worry about where the next turn is or where you’ll sleep that night. And if you have problems with your motorcycle, fixing it is usually somebody else’s responsibility. You’ll also have a whole new group of friends with whom to enjoy dinner at the end of a day’s ride.

This is a listing of companies that run scheduled, guided motorcycle tours in the United States using rental motorcycles—either their own fleet or rented from a local source—and most have a chase vehicle along to carry your luggage and gear, and to deal with mechanical issues that may occur en route. Some companies also allow you to ride your own bike, but check for any restrictions. The information here is provided by the companies, and not guaranteed by Rider.

If you decide to schedule a guided tour, be sure to check the cancellation policy and consider trip cancellation insurance. And check the fine print of your medical insurance policy to make sure it covers you for a motorcycle riding vacation. Consider a medical evacuation policy as well. It can pay the extra costs needed to helicopter you out of a jam.

Other tips? Be sure to ask about the guides’ experience. Do they carry satellite phones in remote locations? Are there spare bikes available if one stops running? And finally, bring your camera and enjoy the tour!

Ayres Adventures

Tours: Alaska/Yukon Adventure, Prudhoe Bay Excursion, Baja California and Copper Canyon Road Tour, Copper Canyon Off-RoadAccommodations: Lodges, hotelsLength of Tours: 9-14 daysRental Options: Select BMW modelsEquipment: Support vehicleDates: July-OctoberTypical Cost: 9-day tour from $5,950, 14-day from $7,850Age Limit: Min. 21Contact: P.O. Box 864018, Plano, TX 75086-4018; (877) 275-8238 or (972) 635-5210; ayresadventures.com
* Ayres Adventures offers premium tours of Alaska, as well as a new tours beginning in California and Arizona and traveling into Mexico’s Copper Canyon and Baja. Its adventures are led by the company’s own staff and are kept to small groups with dinners in the best local restaurants. The service includes a pre-trip booklet, The Plan Ahead, so you can start salivating in advance.

The Mackinaw Bridge is an impressive bit of engineering that links Michigan’s Upper and Lower Peninsulas.

Blue Strada Tours

Private Tours: Blue Ridge & Smoky Mountains, Carolina Low CountryAccommodations: First class hotels, resorts and lodgesLength of Tours: 2-9 daysRental Options: Harley-DavidsonOptional Equipment: Chase vanDates: April-NovemberTypical Cost: 2-day tour, $775 including motorcycle rentalAge Limit: Min. 25; 2 years and 8,000 miles experience requiredContact: P.O. Box 1336, Waxhaw, NC 28173; (704) 292-8801; bluestradatours.com
* Motorcycle industry veteran Bill Kniegge will lead you and your friends on a tour that takes in some of the most enjoyable roads and beautiful scenery in America. Come discover for yourselves why motorcyclists from all over the world are coming to North Carolina to ride the perfect, endless, twisty roads found in the Blue Ridge and Smoky Mountains. Or cruise the historic Carolina Low Country in early spring and fall.

Edelweiss Bike Travel

Tours: Alaska-Yukon Adventure, Around the World—Los Angeles to New York, Best of America, California Extension, California Off-Road Training and TourAccommodations: Comfortable middle-class hotels and motelsLength of Tours: From 5-11 days of riding (plus 29-day Around the World)Rental Options: BMW, Harley-Davidson and HondaEquipment: A second tour guide driving chase vehicle and taking care of repair and luggageDates: Year-roundTypical Cost: 5-day California Off-Road Training and Tour from $2,670, 11-day Best of America from $6,010Age Limit: Min. 21Contact: Sportplatzweg 14, 6414 Mieming, Austria; 011.43.5264.5690; edelweissbike.com
* Edelweiss Bike Travel offers tours all around the world and has been doing so since 1980. Tours are updated year after year and only the best guides are hired to join the Edelweiss team.

This is part of the old Lincoln Highway, with a Parker truss bridge going over the stream; these steel girder bridges were very popular in the 1920s.

Great American Touring

Tours: Pacific Coast North, Pacific Coast South, Sturgis Bike Week, Canadian Rockies, Best of the West, Route 66, Route 66 Extended, Sea to Shining SeaAccommodations: “Consistently unique,” nights before and after tour are includedLength of Tours: 7-21 riding daysRental Options: Harley-Davidson, other motorcyclesEquipment: Luggage, chase vanDates: June-OctoberTypical Cost: $3,150 (7-day), $5,450 (17-day), per person for one bike, two people, including motorcycle rentalAge Limit: Min. 21 to rent motorcycle, no limit for own bikeContact: 1873 Cromwell Drive, Akron, OH 44313; (800) 727-3390; greatamericantouring.com
* How does Great American stand out? When the company says, “eight day tour,” that’s eight riding days. Other companies’ eight-day tours may be only six, or even just five riding days. It makes a difference.

Harley-Davidson Authorized Tours

Categories include: Once in a Lifetime, Events, Short Breaks, Luxury, Beautiful PlanetTours: Harley-Davidson Authorized Tours offers tours around the world, with several options in the U.S. Some of the most popular include: National Parks, Best of the West, Monuments and Million Dollar Highway, California Highway 1, Riding the Canyons, Route 66, Florida Coast, Canadian Rockies & Yellowstone, Music and Bikes (Memphis-New Orleans) and several options leading to Sturgis for the annual rally.Accommodations: Custom to route, preplanned assortment of mid-star rated hotels in stop citiesLength of Tours: 3-15 daysRental Options: Harley-Davidson Authorized Rental or own motorcycleEquipment: Harley-Davidson Authorized Rental motorcycle (if needed) and an Escort Vehicle along with a variety of Tour Essentials such as route maps, itineraries and region guidesDates: Year-roundTypical Cost: Varies—a 14-day Sturgis tour including a rental is approximately $5,000Age Limit: None; valid motorcycle license and the ability to handle a heavyweight touring motorcycle are required for operatorsContact: Reservations can be made through the Harley-Davidson tours website. Reservations will be taken on a first-come, first-served basis. http://authorizedtours.harley-davidson.com
* Harley-Davidson offers several types of Harley-Davidson Authorized Tours through 15 official Authorized Harley-Davidson Tour Operators. Tour operators may be based abroad, and other languages may be spoken on the tour, but tour guides will be fluent English speakers.

Leod Motorcycle Escapes

Tours: Northern California’s best curves and vistas. GPS-guided tours with bike and hotels included for individuals and small groups. Custom guided tours for larger groups.Accommodations: 3-star or higher hotels and vacation homesLength of Tours: 5-10 daysRental Options: Select BMW, Ducati, Honda and Triumph models or use your own bikeEquipment: GPS routes and waypoints, quality local maps, route guide, optional chase van if your group wants oneDates: April-OctoberTypical Cost: $2,400 averageAge Limits: Min. 25, curvy backroads suited for intermediate to advanced ridersContact: 55 Aspen Ct., El Sobrante, CA 94803; (866) 562-6126; leodescapes.com
* Tour master Cat MacLeod says “Hidden between places like San Francisco, Yosemite, Tahoe, the redwood forests and the wine country are the best curvy roads in the USA. Your hotels are booked, your bike’s GPS is preloaded with all the local routes, all you have to do is show up when you want, with who you want… and just ride NorCal’s best.”

Los Angeles Bikers

Tours: Over twenty local 1-day rides “From L.A and back”, mini-tours from Los Angeles to San Luis Obispo, Los Angeles to San Diego, Los Angeles to San Francisco, Los Angeles to Death Valley. Guided tours only!Accommodations: Motels, lodgesLength of Tours: 1, 3, 4 and 7 daysRental Options: Rental motorcycle from local agencyEquipment: Local guide with GPS routes and waypointsDates: All year longTypical Cost: $195 (1-day ride for up to 2 riders) to $1,745 (7 days), per person per day, excluding motorcycle rentalAge Limit: Min. 21 to rent motorcycles, no upper limitContact: 733 South Santa Fe Avenue, Glendora, CA 91740; (800) 939-9539 / (626) 864-6941
*Based in Southern California, Los Angeles Bikers offers guided rides & small tours in and around L.A. county and up to San Francisco. The company focuses on Southern California scenery from the ocean coast to the high desert, high mountains, prairies, lakes, canyons and on the discovery of SoCal culture.

MotoQuest

Tours: Wonders of the West, America Southwest, Best of Baja Southbound, Best of Baja Northbound, Pacific Coast Highway: Northbound, Pacific Coast Highway: Southbound, North to Alaska Extended, Law Enforcement North to Alaska, North to Alaska Adventure, Alaska Kenai Peninsula, Prudhoe Bay Adventure, Alaska Harley Tour, Ride the Best of Alaska, Alaska Women’s Tour, Alaska Backcountry Explorer, Northern Lights AdventureAccommodations: Lodges, hotelsLength of Tours: 4-13 daysRental Options: BMW range, Kawasaki KLREquipment: Luggage, chase van, satellite phonesDates: Year round (West), May-Sept (Alaska)Typical Cost: $4,700, 9-day tour, rider sharing double room, including motorcycle rentalAge Limit: Min. 21Contact: 4346 Spenard Road, Anchorage, AK 99517; (800) 756-1990 or (907) 272-2777 or (562) 997-7368; motoquest.com
* MotoQuest offers a number of tours of the last frontier, Alaska, a great option if you don’t have the time to ride there during its short riding season. At other times of the year, tours are offered of the West and Southwest.

Oregon’s Wallowa Lake, dammed naturally by a glacial moraine.

Northeastern Motorcycle Tours

Tours: New England, Nova Scotia, Gaspe, AdirondacksAccommodations: Inns and hotelsLength of Tours: 3-14 daysRental Options: BMW, Honda or Harley-Davidson from local suppliersEquipment: NoneDates: August-OctoberTypical Cost: $2,295 for 6-day tour, excluding motorcycle rentalAge Limits: Min. 18Contact: P.O. Box 574, Saxtons River, VT 05154; (802) 463-9853; motorcycletours.com
* Sean Reid’s Northeastern Motorcycle Tours is one of the oldest motorcycle touring companies in the USA – celebrating its 20th Anniversary in 2016 – and a pioneer in luxury guided tours. Our own Clement Salvadori wrote in a 2001 article about the company, “The reason people pay Reid good money to go on his trips is that he knows the best roads to ride, the best places to eat, and the best places to lay your head at night.”

3 COMMENTS

Hi there,
We, at Los Angeles Bikers, offer a variety of 1-day tours in and out of LA . I did a quick check with EagleRider of LA and they do rent a trike ( Harley-Davidson® Tri Glide® Ultra with Free Mileage 200 Miles at a Rate/Day $249 ) Providing you could rent this trike, we would be more than happy to show you guys around…but do you have a motorcycle license?
Bruno

Hi there Bruno,
Neither of us have a bike licence. Hence we wanted a guided tour on a trike or a sidecar as we did this in Melbourne early this year with a Harley and a sidecar tour and it was an awesome way for my paraplegic partner to enjoy the buzz of being on a bike.